General Santos City Tuna Fish Port

GENERAL SANTOS FISHPORT COMPLEX

( TUNA CITY OF PHILIPPINES )

The construction of General Santos Fish Port Complex(GSFPC) was funded by Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund(OECF) of Japan. GSFPC is the nation’s second largest fish port after Navotas, and considered the most modern in the country today. The construction started last December 1994 and finished in March 1999.

Aerial view of the General Santos Fishport Complex.

 REFRIGERATION FACILITIES

         Ice Making Plant                                        60 tons/day
         Ice Storage                                                60 tons/day
         Ice Crusher                                                20 tons/hour
         Cold Storage, -35°C                                    1,500 tons (6 x 250 tons)
         Contact Freezer, -45°C (4 units)                   288 kg./cycle/3-4 hr./unit
         Air Blast                                                    14 tons/day
         Brine Freezer                                              50 tons/day

 BUILDING FACILITIES
 
         Fish Market (3 units)                                  6,000 sq.m.
         Refrigeration Building                                  7,000 sq.m.
         Maintenance Shop                                      360 sq.m.
         Administrative Building                                420 sq.m.
         Net Mending Shed(4 units)                          160 sq.m.
         Public Toilets                                             120 sq.m.
         Fresh Water Pump House                           19.36 sq.m.
         Fire Pump House                                        12.00 sq.m.
         Sea Water Pump House                              19.04. sq.m.

Yellowfin Tuna

The impact of the growing tuna industry of General Santos City has been inviting in-migrants seeking employment in any of the canning factories or sashimi-exporters for the Japan market. The rate of population growth has notably increased in an alarming rate of 2.64% per annum for the last 5 years. This means that the city’s population increases at about 10,000 warm bodies per month. The study is based on the trend analysis on General Santos City migration.

Since the start of GSFPC’s operation, unloading of tuna and tuna-like species has dramatically increased. Fish unloading started at the fishport’s market 1 with the recorded volume of 515, 160 kgs., for the month of April 1998, where majority of the catch consists of yellowfin tuna.

Fish unloading dramatically increased on August 1998, when market 2 which caters to baby purseiners and mixed species of fish producers opened, showing an increase in total fish unloading of 118% based on the April 1998 data.

Apparently, another abrupt increase in tuna unloading was noted when the port’s Market 3 accommodating large purseiners opened on March 1999 increasing the volume by 227% compared to August 1998 data.

The captured tuna and tuna-like fishes have been monitored to be delivered to 3 major destinations. These include the canneries, the processors/exporters, and the local market catering the local consumers.

We started distributing Tuna products from General Santos City December of 2009 as addition to the products we are selling for retail. What started as a test supply soon expanded to the distribution of the product to other establishments like Bars, Grill Houses, Restaurants and Resorts.  Now we are expanding and we are seeing a bigger market share through exports.

Unlike other competition that relies solely on the availability of the products from those locally produced by fisherman we on the other hand get our product direct from the “tuna fish port” . This would simply say that the products we sell goes with the highest quality before being allowed to leave the processing area. And with that we could say that we a have secured a better supplying capacity than the rest.

Our Tuna comes at the highest of quality the moment they arrived till they are delivered. They are fresh frozen and sealed ensuring great texture when served. Since the exporters already provided the system of making sure that everything that comes out of the factory passes international standards in terms of quality.

Having been raised in this area provides greater opportunity in pulling in as many resources as possible  allowing us to move with greater success because of the harmonious cooperation we get from our people. In terms of financial stability we are fast growing and the cash flow that we have is allowing us to increase and expand. We also have a handful of investors that provides us financial backing and with this we are confident that we could meet the demand our clients.

In order to meet the individual needs of  our clients we maintain a wide range of products and matched the client’s needs with the factory output capacity on a year round basis. We already established a good supply system for our Tuna Belly and Tuna Panga meaning at any given season we could provide this needed products unlike the rest which relies only with the days catch.

The Export Process
  
BIDDING

The bidding will start in the morning between the boat owner and the local buyer. Prices are being settled straight through for the whole load or sold per piece to the bidder. Here the law of "supply and demand" will be guiding everyone on how to reasonably dictate the price. In cash transactions the role of the boat owner ends after the bidding process once payment is received they leave the fish to the bidder. The fish now will be processed and prepared for its respective clients.

 
WEIGHING

Around 90 percent of the Yellow Fin Tuna Exported in General Santos City Tuna Port weighs 40 to 65 kilo each this is the ideal weight for the tuna to be processed for export. This process could be done before or after it is cleaned depending on the request of the buyer and either process would affect cost to the handling of the export. Nearly 10 percent of the total weight is lost with HGT cut and 3 to 5 percent for "head on & tail on cut.

 

CLASSIFYING

The classifier will test the fish for texture, color, and freshness and will classify them in certain categories class A normally is required for sashimi grade export other lower classes are also distributed for other purposes. The meat is also checked by the classifier for the presence of parasites if found fish will then be isolated and removed this rarely happens and are easily detected by the classifier.

CUTTING

Cutting is performed in various ways depending on the buyers request  common is head, tail and guts removed or it could be head on and tail on and only the intestines were removed. During this process blood is drained from fish to prevent contamination special sponges would be  utilized during this process. Weighing will be done for the net volume if it is stipulated in the contract and the lost weight will be charge to the buyer or seller.

 
PACKAGING

For every 50 kilo fish, below are required

•       1 Box as container approx 4 cubic meter 
•       2 half kilo  gel ice to chill the inside of the fish
•       2 1kilo dry ice to chill the outside of the fish and keep it fresh during  
•        transit. Amount is increased or decreased depending on transit time.
•       1 whole insulation foil to wrap the fish
•       1 plastic to seal and keep the fish fresh 

We supervise this to ensure that everything is being followed. With enough time to prepare this will be handled smoothly.

SHIPPING

Freight forwarders  arrives in the Tuna Fish Port around 7am and will start loading the cargo via air or sea and then would leave before the vessel or plane departs. For larger shipment of above 7 metric tons refrigerated containers are being utilized this is normally done with the shipping company.

DOCUMENTATION

      Any lacking papers or documents would jeopardize your shipment and this will put all parties involved in a not very good situation.Some of the documents needed are shown below.

·     

•         Export Permit from BFAR(Bureau of Fisheries and Agricultural Resources)
• ·       Quarantine Permit
• ·       Authority to export to the recipient country
• ·       Shipment Declarations(for tax purposes)
• ·       And miscellaneous paper works with the Bureau of Customs

Agilex tuna Export has been in the playing field for a considerable time and has selected the most  seasoned people in this business.